Robin Williams and Depression

Opening statement: this is not a fitness post. It is a health post, and a very important topic.

This week, we lost an amazing actor and human being. I'd be surprised and heartbroken if there was a household in America that did not know who Robin Williams was. He touched so many lives, including mine. He made me and so many others laugh when we felt like the world would end, and that is such a powerful gift. I can only hope his afterlife is like the one in What Dreams May Come: magical, beautiful, and peaceful.

The saddest thing about the whole situation is that I understand why he did what he did.

It's hard for people who have never had depression to realize it is an ongoing battle. Every day is a struggle, and sometimes you don't win. In some cases, you stay in bed for days and cry. In others, you see no other alternative then to end it all. This may seem like a harsh thing to say, but I know it to be true. Sometimes you aren't able to see the amazing things you have because it feels like the whole world is crashing down around you. When you hit that point, you feel like there is no one else in the universe, even if they are right in front of you.

Mental illness is not a switch you can just turn off. It is always there. Sometimes it gets better, or it gets worse. It's complicated and messy. If you have never dealt with it, lucky you, because it sucks.

Robin Williams was depressed, and if you looked closely, you could see it. You could see it in the early years when he abused drugs. You could see it in interviews where he seemed to be a little tired, or like he was thinking of something else. YOU COULD SEE IT. The problem is, most people don't look closely. They enjoy the happy times, and those sad moments are just that. Sad. It'll go away and everything will be fine. But, sometimes, it doesn't. Sometimes it's not sadness.

I have opposing viewpoints about suicide. In some cases, I do think it is selfish, mainly because there is always an answer. However, I also understand what it feels like to feel like you are drowning and can't fight your way up. It is very scary, and you feel like no one will listen to you,  no one can possibly get what you feel. I promise, there is always someone. Even if you don't have anyone in you life at that point, there are so many **RESOURCES** available if you just reach out. A lot of people are told that therapy is useless, or it makes them weak. It is not, and everyone is weak in one way or another. Do not be afraid to seek help, either in friends, a therapist, or a hotline.

To every single person reading this: pay attention to the people around you. We live in an age where it's so easy to connect to people, yet so hard at the same time. Take the time to check in with people, and never be afraid to ask if someone is okay, or if they want to talk. Even if they say no, you could help immensely just by showing you care.

Closing statement: CARE. Care for the people in your life, even if it's someone you just pass by on the way to work. Smile instead of avoiding eye contact. You never know who might feel isolated, and that little touch of humanity could turn it all around.